Kideko Q&A – X Music Festival

Kideko is a name you’ll want to watch out for. A DJ/producer from Brighton, his bass-heavy house sounds have caught the ears of Ministry of Sound, who touted his track ‘The Jam’ as one of the sounds of the summer last year. He’s got a pretty full summer coming up, with festivals and gigs across the country, so we got hold of him while we still could.

For those new to your music, how would you describe your sound and how would you persuade someone to check you out?

I like to make a variety of styles to be honest; I’d get bored sticking to one sound. My music usually involves driving drums and a heavy bass line.

When and why did you start getting into making music?

I started out playing drums in a few bands but I wanted to write songs which I couldn’t do on drums, someone showed me a game called Music 2000 on the Playstation and I would use loops from there and write over them and then get the other people in the band to learn the parts. Then I got more interested in making music on computers and wanted something where I could go more in depth than just using loops. My I.T. teacher showed me a programme called Fruityloops, so I started using that, then went to college to do a Music Technology course and moved onto Logic Pro because that’s what all the assignments were on.

Who on the scene just now are you most excited about?

I’m really excited about a duo from Bristol called Icarus. They’re already smashing it but I’m excited to see what’s next for them. George Kwali and Lone Wolf are two of my good mates from Brighton who have got some wicked music coming too.

Where does the name Kideko come from?

I was thinking of words and trying to rearrange them to sound cool. It was Kid Echo so I just stuck it together to make one word, so there’s no secret meaning behind it or much of a cool story!

What can we expect from you in the near future?

I’m trying to write as much as possible. I’ve been in sessions with various producers/singers and I’ve also been making a lot on my own. I’m just having fun making music I enjoy with hope that other people will too!

What are your plans for the summer – are you performing much?

I’m playing a few festivals around the country, which I’m really looking forward to. I’ll also be doing some club shows and I’ll be in the studio.

What are you looking forward to getting out of your appearance at X Music Cardiff?

I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of other acts play – the line-up is wicked. I haven’t really done many festival gigs so I’m excited to play there.

Do you have any particular goals you’d like to fulfil in your career?

I think longevity is important for me; I’d love to still be doing music in 20-30 years. I haven’t played Ibiza yet so I’d love to do that. Travelling the world through music would be a dream come true.

What are you most proud of so far in your career?

Having the support from the Radio 1 crew is exciting. I’m proud to have those guys supporting my music. Also, having a music video on TV is pretty cool.